[OPEN] a fieldtrip for the Wardens and friends

[mactears]

WHO: Loghain, Teren, any other Grey Wardens who feel like participating + anyone else who would have some excuse to be down in the Deep Roads (or at least can come up with a reason to join)
WHAT: Wardens & co. respond to reports of darkspawn activity in the Deep Roads beneath the Vimmarks, and encounter another surprise.
WHEN: Early May.
WHERE: The Deep Roads beneath the Vimmark mountains, close-ish to Corypheus' tomb.
NOTES: There may be a spot of violence. For prompts 1 and 2, feel free to thread with each other rather than just Loghain. For prompt 3, please keep all replies to one thread. Also, while this log is really of interest to Wardens and those who care about them, literally anyone is welcome to join. Honestly, just make up an excuse for your character and hop in.

I.  Traveling


What the Deep Roads lack in visual variety they make up for in the variety of different ways the environment can kill you. Death by ancient dwarven trap or consuming the wrong type of mushroom is as real a danger down here as getting murdered by darkspawn, which is likely responsible for Loghain's frequent refrain of, "Mind where you step."

When navigating through the roads, he seems inclined to keep to himself, either leading the way through the dark or bringing up the rear. Yet he isn't adverse to company, should someone choose to join him and strike up a conversation.



II. Fighting darkspawn!


The first sign of trouble comes in the form of a genlock scout who escapes into the darkness of a narrow cave crevice before he can be killed or apprehended. This is enough of a portent of things to come for Loghain to quickly issue some marching orders; any non-combatants in the group in the middle, kept guarded by those with combat experience who haven't undertaken the Joining. The Wardens, of course, will be the first line of defence against the oncoming assault.

It's a short-lived skirmish, with enough genlock and hurlock opponents to keep the Wardens busy, and perhaps a few to sneak past the line and engage the other armed combatants. Any injuries will need to be tended to quickly, however, because no sooner does the group have a chance to catch its collective breath...



III. Fighting... other Wardens?!


...then the sound of armoured feet clinking against the stone ground signals the approach of someone new. Several someones. When they come into view, it is clear immediately that they are Grey Wardens, given they sport armour identical to Loghain's and any other Wardens in the party. (There are six of them in total, if anyone is inclined to count:  three warriors including one sporting a great sword; an archer and a mage, and a dual-wielding rogue who looks like she used to slit throats for funsies before her conscription.)

It's unclear precisely how this encounter might have gone had Loghain not been in the party--but as it is, one of the newly arrived Wardens points right at him, shouts something in Anders, and then the fighting begins again in earnest.

"Someone take out that mage!" Loghain has time to shout, before he's otherwise occupied parrying a heavy blow from the largest warrior's greatsword.
 

Comments

[justice_is_blond]

"As in, actually speak with you?" He leans forward, interested in her words but also in catching a look at the symbol. The Chantry has its burning sun all over the place, including branded on the foreheads of those stripped of who they were.

"A conversation, as opposed to some sort of feeling? That would be... Well. It's rather hard to conceive considering our Maker doesn't give a fuck." There's a short pause before he frowns. "Sorry. I'm a mage. I have a lot of reason for heresy, but I don't have a problem with the faithful from other worlds." He's even is okay with some of the faithful from Thedas... but it's not a lot of them. They've imprisoned and held down his people for far too long.

[swordproof]

"Yes. She uses her words." The idea that she wouldn't is foreign to Six - because she is used to a world where some communication from the Gods is familiar. It isn't as though she and Sarenrae converse every single day, but she sends her prayers and she can still recall the sharp, painful moment when she had lost Adrian and given her Oath. Sarenrae had spoken to her then and had given Six the strength and the hope to continue.

"It is not a daily event, nor do I expect it. I am not the only person to worship here and she is a God; her attention must be divided appropriately." She waves her hand, dismissing his apologies. "All those with power and strength can name a God they might draw it from, magical or otherwise. It is common in my world."

[justice_is_blond]

What would that be like, to hear a deity talk to you? To know that one cares? And to have someone more powerful in your corner? He feels a bit of wistful jealousy, but it's not overwhelming - she's possibly separated from her god here and must be feeling the lack. Is it better to know a god's care and be parted or never know it? He can't answer that.

"Common. So there are a lot of gods? Or do each have a large following? If you don't mind the questions. You can ask any you'd like in return, there must be things you'd like to know about Thedas that you don't have answered yet. And I'm Anders."

[swordproof]

It has left her a little desperate and sad - she can still recall the horror of realising that nothing she could do would be enough to make Sarenrae hers again, nothing she could do would bring her God back to her side. She's fought with that knowledge for long enough that it's a familiar discomfort more than the weight it had been once. Thankfully, there are now other things to occupy her time and her mind and that is what she clings to.

Fighting Darkspawn, for instance. Talking to people. Forging connections. Adrian would be proud.

"I do not know what you would consider a 'lot'. Some have more followers than others and some are almost lost to the world. That is the way of things; faith comes and goes and it not always strong." She smiles, reaching out to offer a hand. "I am Six. Thank you for your offer."

[justice_is_blond]

"A pleasure to meet you, Six."

He shakes her hand with a returned smile. While it might not last, it's nice to be treated like just another person and Rifters tend to do that. His past is not a personal insult to them the way it is to many natives.

"By a lot, I mean in comparison to people here. Andrastians follow the Maker, more or less, often less, the Dalish have... a dozen? A dozen or so deities, possibly fewer. The Dwarves tend to place their faith in the Stone, I believe, and I don't know what the qunari follow besides oppressive rules. In context I'd say twenty or more would comparatively be a lot."

[swordproof]

"Perhaps there are that many. I am not an expert in the history of all religions." She shakes her head, leaning back to consider. "I know of eight great Gods that people of my world worship, but there are those with names that makes the number closer to seventeen. I worship Sarenrae because she came to me in a time of need. She is a healer beyond all else."

The questions make her think back - she never had formal training in religion or history, but she knows that her connection with Sarenrae had been enough to help her, in her own world.

"It must seem to you, then, that we have a far greater number than people of this world could imagine."

[justice_is_blond]

A healer god. Who apparently reaches out to help people even if they're not following her. Anders is hit by a wave of jealousy... and sadness, too, because Maker, could this world use gods that actually cared.

"It's not so much the amount of people you have as I don't know how seventeen could keep up with even a city the size of Kirkwall. There's easily over a million people there. Keeping up with a seventeenth of that... I'm not going to do the math. But I suppose that's why they're gods and not lords or on-the-ground healers."

He can see fifty patients on a good day. That's listening to them, healing them, and talking about ways to have a better life so they're not back in the Clinic or Infirmary in a week's time. Maybe if there's an urgent need or a rush he could handle a few more, but he'd also be dead on his feet after and it's not something he can do too many days in a row. But gods don't need to sleep, or eat, or recharge. They're... gods.

"I wish you could hear her here. I... I wish I could hear her. I'd be interested in a healing god, and not simply because I'm a healer."

[swordproof]

Six isn't as devout as a Cleric might be, perhaps, but she still carries a great deal of faith inside her for the God that had reached for her in her darkest moment and brought her up and out towards the light. She adores Sarenrae because she reached for her and Six had just enough strength to reach back.

"I'm not sure how far the strength or sight of a God can reach," it's easy enough to admit. She's not a God. She has never been close to that kind of divine power. They have a reach and sight and touch that I cannot begin to imagine. I was given the strength to protect, but not to do as they do. I would never claim anything like it."

Six misses so much about her gift. Being able to help, to heal, to sense, to guide... She's desperate to regain that power, to find the strength and power inside herself to return it to her, to find the well of hope and belief that Sarenrae had inspired not so many months before now. The loss is hurting her, even if she cannot admit it.

"I would help you, if I could." Bowing her head, she reaches and touches her symbol. "She does not always respond, but I am certain that she hears me. I felt her with me, always."